Tow-pole construction



Jan. 27, 1931. c. M. AKINS 1,790,216

TOW POLE CUNSTRUCTION Filed April so. 192e- @Harney/5* CTI inexpensive manufacture. p l 4 Y l A further object'of my invention is to pro- Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES? CLIFFORD M. AKINs, oF MINNEAPoLrs) MIMnEsoTA, VAssieuon VTo MARQUETTE MAN- FAc'rUnrNG oo., or snPAUL, MINNESOTA 'row-Poma coNsTRUoT-IN l Application meaaprn se, i929'. semaine; 359,266,

` f The object of myinvention is tofprovidea Vtow/'pole constructionofsimple, durable and vde a tow pole forl towing disabled vehicles, new cars from freight.depots'Y and assembly plants, behind a towingcarrthe towpole be-r ingadapted for attachmenthto the front axle of the. vehicle being toived7 land operatively Y' Y rangement and combinationuof the various' theline 4-4 of Figure l.

Vconnected with the steering "meclianismgofthe front wheels thereof7 whereby .the Vehiclebeing towed willbe steeredl by thetowing car without the necessity of having a driver in the towed vehicle. Y

More particularly itis my object toy provide in such a constructiona novel type of fitting to be attachedto the front axle of the towed vehicle, being universally arranged for members. A p i f Stilla further .Objectis to provide a novel Aconnection betw'eenthe Apole portion of the tow pole and the vportion thereof which is pivotally secured to the fitting. Vx

' lVith these and other objects infview my invention consists in :the construction, ar-

parts of my device, wherebythepobjects contemplate Y are attained', Vas hereinafter -more fully set forth,`pointed outin my cla.ims, and

illustrated `inthe accompanying drawings,.in which; 1.

F igurel isa plan view ofthefront `aile and wheels of a vehicle showing my improved type oftow pole construction appliedv thereto towing vehicle. :F'gure 2 is an extension element for the towpole. u ,-j Y, Figure 3 is'l enlarged sectional viewfon the line 3-3 of Figure l. o I .Figure 4 is an enlarged and attached to the rear frame memberY of av sectionalv View Yon Figure 5 is a. sectional view on the im@ 5-'5 of Figure 4.

n Figure 6l is a sectional view similar to a 'portion of Figure Sillustrating the setting applied to anothersize offrent-axle.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional v1ew;on the line 17-7 of Figure 1. -Y

axle' of afvehicle or ,the likeY togwliich the' tow i pole isSCClired, ,The axle lOis providediwith steerable wheels 12"moun`ted" onspindles vwhich have steering arms 14. The" arms 14 normally are connected lby atie 'rod 1:6.1fThe foregoing description applies. to:4 tlhe"frrmtVA i axle'of an automobile'of general construction,

. It ismy purpose;toprovide'fa tow'rpole' con-V sisting offa fitting adapted to beclamped'to.

1G whereby pivotalmovement ofthetowpole as tothe dotted line position'shown inFigure Wheelsy 12.=

The tow pole construction consists ofv a the anlevlO,V and a 'towpole portion pivoted Y Y l to the Ifitting A andlcoi'inec'ted with the tierod attachment`- to the various sizes of front axle fittinglA having a pair ofpads 1 8 adapted t0 .Y

enga-ge the axle KlOspa'ced" points, asbest show-n in Figure8. The fitting A isprovided with two inclinedsurfaces 22 eiitending the entire width of the fitting A,andufithwhich' clamping lugs 24 are associated; `I lheclamp ingflugslv24 are substantially*rectangular in planview andin 4vcross sectionare iof Vthe shape shown 4in Figure 3; They areprovided with Y tapered openings V26 and their ends areindi-A cated by the reference numeralsdnnd 30.V

.The ends28 are adaptedto engage the Yinclined surfaces 22. i

YThe ends 3,0V of the cla1npingylugs24 Yare adapted to engage .the lower {ia-nge of the axle 10; Clampingbolts 32 extend yupward- Y ly'through tapered openings34'inthe fitting A and through the tape-red openings 2G or'`V the clamping lugs 24;V vfNut's" 36 are provided onv theV upperends k,of other clamping bolts 32 and WashersT38 'are interposed be` tween the nutsl ogaird the lugs 24v.v f The'nuts afreadapted tofbe tightened so-'that theY ends `2810i? the lugs'f24 will pivotally/ engage the inclined surfacesv 22; and'cause theends 3()v toV-bear'againstthe lower flange of theVA l will impart steering movement to the with asocket 42 adaptedto receive the head axle 10 which rest-s upon the pad 18 ot the fitting A. i,

The surfaces 22, being inclined, gives an inward and downward action-to the ends 30 of the lugs 24 upon tightening the nutsr or the boltsv32.' i V The fittingA is pro-vided with a boss 40 b'etween the pads 18. The boss 40 is provided ot a pivot bolt 44. The pivot bolt M' eX-` tends lthrough a hub 46 of the boss 40 and through a Washer 48 and is provided vwith' a castle nut 50 whereby the boss40, with its hub 46 and the washer 48 are firmly clamped together. A

Five-tally mounted on the hub 46 is an arm 52 havingvits rear end provided ivith `a hub 5 4. A` ball member 56 is associated with the hub 54 and `is received by asocket member 58. The socket member 5 4 isorn'iedon one end of a. link 'which at 'its 'other end is pro- X'fided with a socket membre/1262. The socket member 62 receives socket ballgnieniber 6 4. j .The ball ineinbeifi is secured to afhub 60 68 has associated therewith a clamp .cap 0 theJ tvv'o may .be dravv'n together by tightening' boltsy l72. The members' 68 and are ,'78 as best' shown Vin Figure'l, andis provided Witha hub 82. A draft pin B vis,associ'at'ed nitli` the .hubl'82 and has' portions r and 80 with ani'nterinediat-e threaded portion 88;

The pin B is providednfitha head'SlO adapted to fit in" a s`ocke`t`f92 of the hubi82 and. operate in conjuncti'on'with a nut 94atftlie other end o the hub Vto securely butswi'velly hold the draft pin B i's thefto'rked fitting 80.r

A towA pole construction consistingf ot a tube 96, connecting' plng'98, second tube 100 and a universal fork 102 is'se'cured tothe portien 86 of thejdraft pin B. The'tube 96 is riveted to the portion 86. and to one .endet the plug 98. The tube isbolted to the other end of the 98 andrivetedto the universal yfork 1-02.`

In Figi-ire 2 i Show ja alii-a' @use iai im.

inga connectorV pluglOGjvhich may be inserted between the plug`9`8 andthe tube 100 for le'ngtl'ieningthe tow pole. T he tube 104 is bolted to' thepluf; 98an'd the tube 100is Y bolted to the/plug 1:06. n t

I `For connectihgfth'etow pole amtoiving vehicle I provide 5a.' universal reinteo'nsisting 'eta-fitting 108h'aving vertical-pivotal con-V nection with the` universal fork 102 and a horizontal pivotal connection 112 with a fastening member 114. The fastening member 114 is adapted to be positionedv against the rear flange 116 of the rear :trame meniber of a towing' car and to be bolted'relative thereto by bolts 118. The bar 120 is adapted to be positioned on the inside of the flange 116.

ln Figure 0 rI have illustrated another manner. ot' connectimg` the forward end of the tov.' pole to the towing vehicle. In this instance, the fastening member 144 is clamped against the bottomot the spring 122 of the towing vehicle, the vbar 120 being positioned above the spring' and the bolts 118 on'jeach side thereof. VThe pivot bolt112 being` hori` Zontally arranged alloivs the fastening ni-31n-V ber 114 toassumethis position readily as 'on` 'slio'wi1 in Figure 1. rom' the foregoing 'ciistruetion it vvill be readily obvious that I `have provided an' au?. toinaticA toiv pole which maybe'applied 'to any sizeof axle. Forinstance7 in Figil're@ afivider aigle is illustrated in vvhic'h event the *bolts 82' maybe arranged at an angle as shown. In the' event that the llower 'flange of theV aide is thicker` tde angle of the lugs 24 will be changed, to accommodate such thickness. The lit-tingi therefore is nniversally adapted Ifor all sizes of. front axle members. I' j Soine'changes 'mayV be madein' the con struction and arrangement'bt the parts of my device Without departingfrom the real spirit and purpose of my invention. and it is my intention to` cover', by iny claims, any 'ino"d`1`V fied'fo'rnis oi structure'or use of mechanical @univa-lents, Whichm'ay be reasonably in cl'ud'ed :ivithintheir'scope:

I clai'inas invention: 1. in a tbv'v pole lconst'ructiona an l'anle Yengaging' member having` "incliii'ed surfaces;

project- 11j; fr m said'srirface'x" on said bolts7'one end 'eachV dug being adaptedv to engage one otsaid inclined 's'.'ir

ac'esand the othere'ndtoe'hgage the" e'ot a vehicle; a't'oW polepivoted tfo-'said yai leen'- /gaging member `and means torfconi'iecting said .toiv pole with the' "steering tie redet said vehicle. f i

ln a tiv poleeon'strnction, an gaging 'member having inclined su'iaces, bolts extending' ythrough said inri'ib'er, piv otally mounted relative 'tllei ecogand proieeting 'from said surfaces,A clamping l-ugslon said bolts, one end ot each lugbeing adapted to "en'g'jage'one "of said inclined su'rfacesand the other end toengage the axle of'a veli-idea a tow pole-piveted to said .axle engagingmmber and means. for v connecting sai d, -tew pole with the steering tie redet saidvehicle;

3i 'In a -toW polefcons-truct-ion?, nfaxleen# gagging' Imember .havinginclind surfaces, l

its

necting said tow 4. In a tow pole construction, an axle en y gaging member having inclined surfaces, bolts extending through said member, pivotally mounted relative thereto and projecting from said surfaces, clamping lugs on said bolts, said lugs being pivotally mounted relative to th'ebolts, one end of each lug being adapted to engage one ot' said inclined surfaces and the rother end to engage the axle of a vehicle, a tow pole pivoted to said axle engaging member and means for Yconpole lwith the steering tie rod of said vehicle.

sizes, a tow pole pivoted to said axle engaging member and means for connecting said tow VDes Moines,iIowa,April11, 1929. f

: :CLIFFORD M. AKINSQ pole with the steering tie rodof said vc- Vhicle. 'Y v vdan' 5. In a tow pole constructionincluding an l axle engaging member adapted to engage one side of an axle, lug boltspivoted thereto, clamping lugs on said bolts, said lugs each Vhaving an end to engage said member and another end to engage opposite side portions ot said axle and clamp 1t between said last mentioned end and said axle engaging member, said clampingbolts being located sublugs.

stantially midway between the ends of said 6. A tow pole construction including an axle engaging member adapted to engage one side of an I shaped axle having inclined i surfaces, lug bolts pivoted thereto, clamping lugs on said bolts, said lugs each having an end to engage one ofl said inclined surfaces of said member andanother end to engage oppositely extending flanges of said axle and clamp it between said last mentioned ends and said axle engaging member.

7.' In a. tow pole construction including an axle engagingmember, lug bolts extending therethrough, clamping lugs on said bolts, said lugs each having an end to engage said fno' member and another end to engage'an axle and clamp it between said last mentioned end and said axlevengaging member, said member and said lugs having tapered openings for said bolts whereby they can be arranged at relatively varying angles to accommodate axles of diierent cross sectional sizes.

8v. In a tow pole constructioman` axle engaging member, means for clamping it to.

the axle of a vehicle,said means comprising a iolt, -a lug and a. nut, said bolt extending through said member and said lug, the suryfaces of saidmember and lug adjacent the head of the bolt Yand the nut being formed like an obtuseangle so that' the bolt can be arranged at relatively varying angles to accommodate axles of different cross Asectional 

